The cost of a deer

I expect that in the past 3 years I've dropped around $10K of money I don't have just to collect the gear I need (am expected to have?) to hunt in Indiana. All new guns (ML & Slug) acoutrements, ammo, etc that I didn't have/need in Western states.

My first few deer are going to be $$$$$$$ per pound. But you gotta get it before you need it, (stuff) and while it's still available (guns).

My pain in the neck neighbor was on my case laughing at me and really giving me a hard time last year about the cost of my hunting, .Then I advised him I spend A lot less on my hunting then he does on his Smoking and Alcohol, and his DUI case. He had no idea I knew about that. He pretty much keeps his mouth shut these days. my wife says I am so bad!.

woodmaster-good man-AR-34 here. What do you shoot?

The beauty of hunting and fishing is that you can do it for nearly nothing on a shoestring budget, or you can spend enough to finance a small third world country.
I know plenty of guys that hunt and fish pretty darned cheaply.

Yeah, (once you got past the cost of the gun) that's the way it was in AK/WY for me. Knew people and shared gear etc. Here I needed all new equipment and don't know anybody. Have to do it all myself. Thryng to make up for a hunting partner with gadgets doesn't seem to work all that well tho...

It's a big part of my lifestyle, but I maintain a frugal budget.

When it comes to hunting, I really never even consider the financial costs of it. Not because I'm wealthy, because that certainly is NOT the case. Hunting is just a part of me, in my very core of who I am. So I spend what I "need" (OK ... want) to in order to fill my desires in my quest of whatever the game animal may be.

Fortunately, I don't have to buy tags unless I'm going out of state. But I spend a ton of money every year on gear. I am always upgrading or adding something for some type of hunting.

If I added up what a pound of venison cost me, it would be staggering.

I look at it this way. I don't hang out in bars, I don't hang out on the golf course (not that that is bad), I don't spend money frivolously on other items. There are a lot worse things I could do with my time and money.

When you think of how many hours you put into hunting and figure it out hourly, it's still pretty cheap. I however could care less what I spend. Hunting cleanses my soul (anyone else hear the Ted Nugent riff?) and there ain't enough money in the world to put a price on that.